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Sidr-hit Sundarbans healing itself fast

P1NAK1 ROV back from the Sundarbans
With awe inspiring swiftness nature has already started regenerating Sidr affected Sundarbans, attracting local and foreign tourists again.
No less than 25 percent of the Sundarbans was completely destroyed by Cyclone Sidr, forest officials and experts said in their primary assessment. Initially the experts said it would take years to recover from the losses.
In a recent visit to the Sundarbans new buds on broken trees and saplings from seeds were seen sprouting, bringing the much needed hope back to the destroyed patch of the mangrove forest The colour of the evergreen forest was however brownish with many trees along the rivers and canals not having even a single leaf on them.
"The natural process of regener- ation has started already and I have seen a good number of wildlife in the forest," said Khasru Chowdhury, an expert on the Sundarbans.
"The forest is recovering from the damage by itself much faster than it was thought, " he added.
At Hiron Point, Kotka and Kochikhali areas new saplings of wild rice was seen on the ground where few inches of thick mud and sand were still remaining. Deer and monkeys were seen eating new leaves of wild paddy or uri grass by Nilkamal canal at Hiron Point.
"This is really very significant that the deer and monkeys, the major wildlife in the Sundarbans, are getting food supplies as initially in many areas their food were also destroyed," said Khasru, who was also visiting the Sundarbans.
At Hiron Point and Kotka new buds were seen on many half broken or uprooted keora trees. New
leaves have also started to sprout on nypah and pine trees while reeds and sedges have started regenerating themselves too.
" It was a wise decision not to cut down the broken trees. The broken trees should be left as they are." said Dr Ali Reza Khan, an eminent wildlife expert.
"Let the nature take its decision about them," he added.
Following the cyclone, the officials assessed that more than Tk 1,000 crore worth of forest resources had been lost with an additionalTk 20 crore in infrastructure damage.
Although nature has started regenerating the world's largest mangrove forest, the destroyed forest offices and its staff quarters are yet to be rebuilt. During the visit the forest officials were seen carry ing out their duties with immense difficulties as at some places the
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lone source of drinking water, the pond, has become saline due to tidal surges from the sea.
Meanwhile, the Sundarbans has started attracting foreign and local tourists again over the last two weeks.
Every year 15,000 to 20,000 local and foreign tourists usually visit the Sundarbans, the main tourist attraction in the country.
"But this year the number of tourists is likely not to exceed five thousand," said Masud Hossain, executive director of Bengal Tours Ltd.
"This is really a matter of great hope for the country that the forest has started recovering from the damage itself," he added.